A Year Goes By
by welshy
Summary: A year has past since Rachel has died. Little does Jack know, there is a surprise waiting for him around the corner that he’d never have guessed possible!


**A Year Goes By**

Disclaimer: The characters in this story are not mine. Although, I guess some of the storyline kinda is!

The lyrics in this song (in order of appearance) are:  
_Cinderella_ – Wallflowers  
_Stairway to Heaven _– Led Zeppelin  
_Don't Ask Me Why_ – Billy Joel  
_Baby It's Cold Outside_ – Dean Martin  
_The Greatest Fall of All Time_ – Matchbox Romance  
_Closer to Me_–_ Five  
Bridge Over Troubled Water _– Simon & Garfunkel  
_In the End _– Linkin Park  
_It's All Been Done _– Barenaked Ladies  
_Knocking On Heaven's Door _– Guns 'n' Roses  
_The Way You Look Tonight_ – Elton John  
_I Need You_ – Three Doors Down  
_I Knew I Loved You_ – Savage Garden  
_Hero_ – Mariah Carey  
_Let's Make a Night to Remember _– Bryan Adams

Summary: A year has past since Rachel has died. Little does Jack know, there is a surprise waiting for him around the corner that he'd never have guessed possible!

Warning: Just a _slight _sexual implication in this one … (and I mean slight!)

* * *

_  
So long ago I don't remember when  
That's when they say I lost my only friend  
Well they said she died easy of a broken heart disease  
As I listened through the cemetery trees  
I seen the sun coming up at the funeral at dawn  
The long broken arm of human law  
Now it always seemed such a waste  
She always had a pretty face  
I wondered why she hung around this place_

Detective Sergeant Jack Christey drove to work on a bleak and dreary July day. Although the weather outside wasn't too bad, it was Jack's mood that had him feeling bleak and dreary.

He parked his car in his usual spot and sat there for a moment, thinking about the year that had gone by, as if it was the beginning of a new year.

When he finally decided to get out of the car, Jack walked slowly towards the entrance of the Sydney Water Police station … a building he had called 'home' for the past year and a half.

Inside the station, Jack was greeted by Senior Sergeant Helen Blakemore, who like him, was not in the best of moods.

"Morning Jack."

"Morning Helen," Jack replied, looking at the senior officer for a brief moment, "Am I late?"

Helen simply shrugged, "What does it matter?"

Jack raised his eyebrows, expecting Helen to give him a lecture. He knew all too well that he was late, but didn't really care.

"How are you feeling?"

It was Jack's turn to shrug, "Oh yeah … I've been better."

Helen nodded, "Yeah …" her voice trailed off.

"You too?"

Helen nodded once more.

Jack looked down at the ground, "I'd better get upstairs … at least doing work helps get my mind off of things."

"It sure does," Helen agreed, watching Jack as he walked heavily up the stairs.

_There's a lady who's sure  
__All that glitters is gold  
__And she's buying a stairway to heaven._

In the detective's office, the mood was a little lighter, although Michael Reilly knew that that would soon change once Jack walked into the office. Mick knew all too well what day it was, but he wasn't about to let fellow detective Alex St Clare know.

"I don't see why _I _have to do this paperwork," Alex complained.

"Because _you _did the dirty work, _you_ do the paperwork," Mick replied without giving it another thought.

Alex shot Mick a glare before looking down at the pile of paper in front of her.

Mick shook his head slightly. He was about to swivel back around to face his own desk, when he saw a figure standing hunched over in the doorway.

It was Jack.

"Morning," Mick said politely.

"Morning," Jack's voice was gruff.

Alex looked up from her desk, "Geez, what the hell is up _your _nose?" she asked of Jack's foul mood.

Jack didn't answer Alex as he sat down at his desk and sighed.

Alex looked over at Mick questioningly, who gave her a "don't ask" look in return. She took a quick glance over at Jack, before looking back down at the tedious work sitting in front of her.

_All your life you had to stand in line  
Still you're standing on your feet, ohh  
All your choices made you change your mind  
Now your calendar's complete  
Don't wait for answers  
Just take your chances  
Don't ask me why_

Jack stepped out of the detective's office when there was someone waiting downstairs to see him.

Alex took the opportunity to ask Mick what was bothering Jack.

Mick looked up at Alex curiously.

"And it's not _just _Jack either. I've noticed it from you, Helen … even Jeff."

Mick sighed, "_Okay_ … today is the one year anniversary of Rachel's death …"

Alex's eyes widened, "Ohhh."

"So that's why Jack is in a bad mood," Mick explained.

"So that's why _everyone's_ in a bad mood," Alex corrected him.

Mick shrugged, even though he knew that what Alex had said was true.

"Maybe Jack just needs to get over it." Alex said matter-of-factly.

Mick looked at her sternly, "Alex. Jack _loved _Rachel. You can't just get over it, like _you_ said. It takes time ya know."

"A _year_ though?"

"A year … two … maybe even more," Mick replied.

"Pfft."

"Has anyone _you _loved ever died?"

"Yeah …"

Mick looked at her, "Did they die _suddenly_?"

"They were old."

"Well … Rachel certainly wasn't _old _… and she died suddenly."

"I can't believe that Jack loved _anyone_," Alex changed the topic slightly.

Mick frowned, "What? Do you think Jack has a heart of steel?"

"Nah. I didn't think Jack had a heart at all!" Alex grinned.

Mick rolled his eyes; although he did smile slightly.

"Well, it's obvious that he still loves Rachel."

Mick shrugged, "Yeah. Probably."

"She must've been one special girl."

Mick glanced at Alex quickly, "Yeah … she was pretty cool."

Alex smiled at Mick slightly, just as Jack walked back into the room.

"Hey …" he greeted the two, "Guess what Mick?"

"What?"

"Charlie Driscoll is dead."

"You're kidding?"

"Nup," Jack replied with a small smile on his face.

"Shit!" Mick exclaimed, "And _you _weren't the one who killed her!"

Jack rolled his eyes, "No. No I wasn't ... unfortunately," he grabbed something from his desk and headed out onto the balcony.

Mick raised an eyebrow at what Jack had told him, before he got back on with the report he had to finish writing.

_I really can't stay  
__(But baby it's cold outside)  
__I've got to away  
__(But baby it's cold outside)_

Outside on the balcony, the Sydney breeze was cool enough to make Jack shiver slightly. He did the middle button of his jacket up as he stared out at the calm harbour.

_Charlie Driscoll is dead_, Jack thought, _a very justifiable death that one. Too bad Graham Denton didn't die as well –_

Jack interrupted his own thoughts, when he saw a figure out of the corner of his eye. He glanced at the female figure, who was sitting down at the edge of the wharf with her back facing him.

He wasn't sure what it was, but there was _something_ about this woman that reminded Jack of Rachel.

Jack stared at the woman for a few moments, but stopped however, when he heard the door to the balcony open and close.

"What are you doing out here Jack?" came Helen's caring voice.

"Getting some fresh air …"

Helen walked up beside Jack and leant across the railing, "Thinking?"

"Yeah … _and_ thinking," Jack replied, as he looked back to where the woman was sitting. Although to his surprise, she was nowhere to be seen.

Helen looked over at Jack. Since Rachel's death, Helen realised that Jack's feelings for Rachel were a lot deeper than she initially thought.

"Before you came out here," Jack began, "There was a woman sitting over there," he pointed to where the woman was, "And … I don't know what it was … but she, for some reason, reminded me of Rachel."

"Why?" Helen asked, "Did she look like Rachel?"

"I couldn't see her face. She wasn't _facing_ me …" Jack replied, "She did have brown hair though …"

Helen smiled slightly.

"I was probably imagining it …" Jack said, "I've been dreaming about Rachel a lot lately."

Helen looked at Jack with sad eyes, "I've had a couple of dreams about her too. Though, the dreams that I had about Rachel weren't what I'd call _recent_. In my dreams, she had short hair … just like she did a few years ago."

Jack glanced over at Helen, "Yeah?"

Helen nodded, looking at Jack before something caught her eye, "Hey … is _that _the woman you were talking about?"

Jack looked down at the wharf, and surely enough, there was the woman again. She was standing this time, still looking out at the beautiful harbour in front of them, "Yeah …"

"Hmm …" Helen thought for a moment,"She does kinda give off a _Rachel vibe _…"

"A Rachel _vibe_?" Jack asked curiously.

"Yeah."

Jack laughed, "No offence, but that sounds quite ridiculous!"

"Thanks Jack," Helen replied sarcastically, "But you _are_ right-there's something about her that just screams _Rachel_."

"So I'm _not _imagining it after all!"

Helen shook her head, "I don't think so."

Jack sighed, somewhat relieved. For a moment there, he thought that he was going mad.

"I might go down and have a chat to this woman," Helen said, "You never know … she might need some help or something."

Jack raised his eyebrows and watched as Helen walked down the stairs, towards the woman, who was now sitting on the ground. Jack was constantly reminded of Rachel when he was at work _and _at home, but there was just something _else _about this woman that had him thinking.

_I'll keep this as  
__A constant reminder  
__Of the nights I spent holding onto her  
__And rest assured I'm moving on  
I miss you less  
__With each day you're gone_

The woman sitting on the wharf swayed her legs backwards and forwards, as if she was listening to a song that had a good beat.

She froze however, when she heard footsteps coming from behind her; getting closer and closer with every step.

They were familiar footsteps.

The woman was almost too scared to look over her shoulder at the person, who she knew was now standing quite close to her.

_Every now and then I want to call you baby  
(You know that it's you)  
I say a prayer that you'll come back to me lady  
(Oh yeah)  
Life ain't anything alone can't you see you're an angel in my eyes  
Everyday you're closer to me_

Helen stared down at the woman. Although she couldn't really see her face that well, she had a fair idea what and _who _the woman looked like.

The woman's head turned slightly and looked up, "Helen …?" she said in a voice that was barely a whisper.

Helen knelt down beside the woman, not believing what she was seeing, "R-_Rachel_?"

The woman turned and faced Helen properly.

It was Rachel alright.

Her features were undeniably recognisable. Her blue eyes vivid; her hair sitting lightly on her shoulders; dimples formed across her cheeks from the small, nervous smile she gave Helen.

"_Okay_ …" Helen was taken aback, "What … what's going on? … You _can't _be Rachel …"

The woman claiming to be Rachel closed her eyes briefly. She wasn't expecting Helen to _believe _for one second who she was, "Helen … _I am _Rachel."

Helen didn't quite know what to say, as she sat down on the ground. She decided that she would let 'Rachel' talk, "And _I am _listening …"

The woman was quiet for a few moments.

Before she finally began, she sighed, "A bit over a year ago … a woman approached me. Her name was Charlie Driscoll."

Helen's eyes widened, but she let Rachel continue.

"I knew her because another officer I used to work with and I, put her away many years ago now. I think she wanted some kind of 'pay back'. She told me that she couldn't find the other officer who was with me when we put her in jail … so she came looking for me instead," Rachel looked up at Helen.

Helen nodded, urging her to keep talking.

"Charlie said that she had two blokes who were _working _for her as such … Alex Grenville and Graham Denton. To cut a long story short, she blackmailed the three of us … saying that if we didn't do this particular _job_ for her … then she'd kill us. This day a year ago, I had to pretend to die," tears were beginning to form in Rachel's eyes, "Charlie knew that Jack was going to be with me that night … so she told me what I had to say to him as I was _dying _…"

Helen closed her eyes in disgust. Charlie was a disgraceful woman. She had no pride whatsoever, "She knew what was going on between you and Jack?"

Rachel nodded slightly, "I knew I couldn't say anything else to Jack … so the night before it happened, I wrote something for Jack in my diary … hoping that he'd end up reading it someday."

Helen nodded, "Your father gave the diary to Jack."

Rachel looked at Helen; tears were slowly falling down her cheeks.

Helen looked at her sympathetically, "What happened then?" she asked softly.

"Once I was _dead _… Denton acted as an ambulance driver took me away in that horrible blue bag …" Rachel sniffed, "We had to go to the morgue, where Charlie was waiting. She'd killed the real men who were working in the morgue at the time and had conjured up a death report and autopsy for me, which she sent off to the police."

Helen sighed sadly.

"A week later or so, Alex desperately wanted out and secretly wanted to talk to Jack. Although it was no secret to Charlie. She knew what he was going to do … so before Alex got a chance to tell Jack the truth, she forced Graham to run Alex over in a stolen car. Jack must've found out something about Charlie, because a couple of days later, Charlie made Graham come out and tell the police that he had killed me … because Jack thought she had killed me, and then tried to kill her as justice."

"How'd you know about Jack almost killing her?"

"Well, Charlie came back to the place where we'd been staying, and told me that Jack had tried to kill her. As she walked off to her room, I mumbled that I wished Jack _had _killed her."

Helen smiled.

Rachel shrugged, "So that's what happened. It's just a bit of a condensed version … and a couple of days ago, I found out that Charlie had died … I knew that I was _free_,as it were."

"So you decided to come out knowing that Charlie couldn't kill you?"

"Well yeah," Rachel replied, "But I was scared because I didn't know how you'd react. So I just sat down here and did nothing. I guess you must've seen me ey?"

Helen nodded, "Jack saw you …"

"Yeah, I saw him standing on the balcony."

"You're going to go and see him aren't you Rachel?"

Rachel looked at Helen guiltily.

"Oh come on Rachel!" Helen exclaimed, "You _have_ to see him! You think that I'm gonna be able to keep _this_ a secret?"

Rachel shrugged.

"No, I can't keep this a secret Rachel! I'm going to walk in there and be all happy knowing that you're alive … and Jack's gonna think _what the hell has happened to Helen? _… I was in a shit mood before I saw you today Rachel. You do know that today is the supposed anniversary since your _death_."

Rachel nodded, "I know."

"You _have _to speak to Jack."

"I was going to go and see Jack later at his house …" Rachel replied, "He still lives at the same place, right?"

"Yes Rachel."

"There's just one thing though …"

"What's that?" Helen asked.

"Can you tell him that I'm _alive _…?"

"I'm not going to tell him the whole story!"

"No not at all! Just tell him that I'm alive and that it has something to do with Charlie Driscoll …"

Helen rolled her eyes, "Okay … okay. I'll tell him _that_."

"Thanks Helen."

"Who else knows you're alive?" Helen asked, "Your dad … David?"

Rachel shook her head, "No. They don't know just yet."

"Ah," Helen nodded.

"So you'll tell Jack right?"

"I will," Helen replied.

Rachel smiled, "Good … thanks."

Helen smiled back. The shock of seeing someone who she thought she'd never see again had died down. Now it was like Rachel had never left, "I should head back inside."

"Yeah …"

"You'll have to come over my house tomorrow night and we'll talk for longer, okay?"

"Sure."

Helen nodded, "Good."

Rachel watched as Helen stood up.

"It's good to see you again Rachel …" Helen said, "I never thought I'd hear myself say that!"

Rachel laughed, "No! It's good to see you again too Helen. I'll see you soon."

"Sure thing. Seeya," Helen replied, as she walked away from Rachel and towards the police station.

Rachel watched as Helen disappeared into the building. She stared back out at the water for a few minutes, before deciding to leave.

_When you're weary, feeling small  
When tears are in your eyes I will dry them all  
I'm on your side w__hen times get rough  
And friends just can't be found  
Like a bridge over troubled water  
I will lay me down  
Like a bridge over troubled water  
I will lay me down_

Helen walked briskly up the stairs and to the entrance of the detective's office, "Jack. I need to talk to you in my office."

Jack looked up at Helen, "What have I done?"

"Nothing!" Helen held both hands up defensively, as she walked down the corridor to her office.

"Shit," Jack said, shaking his head.

"You must've done _something_ Jack!" Mick teased.

Jack rolled his eyes, "Yeah …" he replied as he walked out of the office.

When Jack reached Helen's office, he found her sitting down on one of her leather seats she had.

Helen motioned for Jack to sit next to her.

"What have I done?"

"Who says you've done anything Jack?"

Jack shrugged, "Why else would you want me in here?"

"To talk."

Jack laughed, "To talk?"

Helen nodded, "Yeah. To talk."

"_Okay_," Jack replied, "Talk about …"

"Well," Helen began, "Do you remember that woman who was sitting down on the pier? The one you said reminded you of Rachel?"

Jack nodded slightly, wondering where this was conversation going.

"Well, I went down to talk to her."

Jack's face was expressionless.

"The woman _was _Rachel, Jack," Helen got straight to the point.

Still, Jack's face was expressionless, "_Pardon_?"

"It was Rachel."

Jack frowned, "H-how … _how _could it be Rachel?"

"Look. I'm not going to tell you the whole story she told me. She just wanted me to tell you that she was alive and that it had something to do with Charlie Driscoll."

Jack's eyes widened at the words 'Charlie Driscoll'.

"Now that Charlie is dead … Rachel felt that she could come out of _hiding _I suppose," Helen read the shocked look on Jack's face.

Jack sat in the chair completely still; shocked by what he had just been told, "_And_ …?" he presumed that there was something else.

"Rachel said that she'd come and see you at your home later this evening," Helen said, "She just wanted me to tell you that she was alive … I'm guessing so that you wouldn't be so shocked when you saw her standing in front of you."

Jack nodded slowly, trying to comprehend the information he had just received.

Helen smiled, "So … you'll be able to see Rachel again. Something I'm sure that you'd never thought you'd do again. I certainly didn't expect to see her again!"

"Y-yeah …" Jack was still shocked.

"You can go back to your work now Jack," Helen said cheerily.

Jack looked up at Helen, who had walked behind her desk and sat down on the chair, "You expect me to work_ now _that you've told me this?"

Helen nodded once, "Well, _I_ am Jack."

Jack stared at her for a moment, before grumpily getting up off the leather chair and walking out of the office.

Helen smiled a satisfied smile. Today may not have started out too well, but it sure as hell won't end that way.

_I tried so hard  
And got so far  
But in the end  
__It doesn't even matter_

Jack walked back into the detective's office, still in shock.

Mick was a nosy beak, and wanted to know why Jack had a strange expression on his face.

Jack looked over at Mick, "Oh … it's nothing."

"What did Helen want?" he pestered Jack.

"_Nothing_," Jack said firmly, hoping that Mick would get the message.

"Fine," Mick said with a frown on his face. He wasn't going to bother with it.

Jack noticed the look on Mick's face, "Anyway Mick. I'm sure you will find out in due course."

"Find out what?"

Jack smiled cheekily, "What Helen told me."

Mick closed his eyes, "Okay. Now I _really _want to know!"

_Bugger_, Jack thought, _Why'd you have to open your mouth, you idiot? _he cursed himself, "You'll find out soon … _okay_? Now just leave it."

Mick stared at Jack briefly, "Alright, _alright_."

Jack nodded once, "Good."

Mick's stare drifted from Jack to Alex, who had just entered the room. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, before getting on with work that _had _to be done.

_It's all been done  
It's all been done  
It's all been done before_

At home after work, Jack twisted open a bottle of Jack Daniels black label whiskey and plonked himself down on the couch. He poured the whiskey into a small glass that was filled with ice.

Jack switched on the TV and flicked the channels until he found one that he was vaguely interested in.

Football.

Although, it was only a replay of the weekends match.

Jack knew who was going to win, but didn't care because there was worse crap than the football on all of the other channels.

Waiting for someone who he hadn't seen for a year to the date, slightly disturbed Jack. _Especially_ since he thought that the person was dead.

Rachel parked her car outside of the house she hadn't been to for over a year. She had driven by Jack's house many times in the past year and the thought of finally going inside made her happy.

She didn't know what to expect from Jack; all she hoped was that Helen had actually told him that she was alive.

Rachel reached for the door handle, opened it and stepped outside of the car. She tried not to make too much noise when she closed the door behind her. Rachel slowly walked up the driveway and to the front door.

Her whole body was shaking; not only because it was quite cold outside, but because she was nervous. Rachel's unsteady hand clenched into a fist and she timidly knocked on the door.

_It's getting too dark to see  
Feels like I'm knockin' on heaven's door_

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

Although he had been expecting a knock at the door since he got home from work, Jack flinched slightly in his chair. He stared over in the direction of his front door.

Slowly getting off the couch, Jack placed his glass of whiskey on the coffee table and walked to the front door. Before he opened it, he took a deep breath. In his mind, Jack tried to picture what Rachel would look like.

He opened the door slightly.

Standing there in front of him was Rachel _exactly_ how he pictured her.

Jack stared at her, before opening the door to its full extent.

Rachel looked nervous, and stared at Jack for a moment before looking down at the ground, "Hi …" was all she could manage to say.

Jack smiled, "Hi … come in," he gestured for Rachel to step inside.

"Thanks," Rachel smiled as she walked past Jack, lightly brushing him on the way past.

Jack suddenly felt a wave of indescribable emotions run through his entire body. Right then and there, when he looked at her for the first time in a year, and saw how beautiful she really was; Jack also realised how much he had missed Rachel and how much she really did mean to him.

_And I can't explain  
But it's something about the way you look tonight  
Takes my breath away  
It's that feeling I get about you, deep inside  
And I can't describe  
But it's something about the way you look tonight  
Takes my breath away  
The way you look tonight_

Rachel walked towards the lounge room and sat down on the couch.

Jack closed the front door, walked into the lounge room and sat down next to Rachel.

"Do you want a beer?" Jack asked.

"Are you having one?"

Jack nodded.

"Okay … I'll have one. Thanks," Rachel replied, watching as Jack got off the couch and walked to the kitchen.

When he came back and handed Rachel the can of beer as he sat down next to her; neither of them knew quite what to say. Although Rachel knew that she would be doing _most_ of the talking for the first hour or so.

She opened the can and sighed, leaning back on the couch, "I'm guessing that Helen told you a bit about what happened … because otherwise, you probably would've slammed the door in my face when you saw me standing at your front door."

Jack laughed, "Yes, Helen told me … and yes, you're probably right. I probably _would've_ slammed the door in your face, but then I would've opened it just to see whether my eyes were playing tricks on me!"

Rachel looked over at Jack and smiled.

Jack smiled back at her. He had missed those little dimples in her cheeks whenever she smiled. It was one of the many things he had missed about Rachel.

_Your imitation of my walk  
__And the perfect way you talk  
__It's just a couple of the million things  
__That I love about you  
__See I need you_

Rachel told Jack everything she had told Helen, perhaps more.

Jack listened to Rachel intently, sadly. Part of him still couldn't get over the fact that Rachel was actually sitting next to him.

Rachel looked down at the can of beer sitting in her lap, "I just wish that all of that _shit _hadn't happened."

Jack closed his eyes, "Me too Rach. Me too."

"So, tell me what's happened to you."

"Well," Jack began, "Not much I suppose. I'm sure _Charlie _would've told you some of it."

"Oh yeah!" Rachel replied cheekily, "She did indeed."

Jack smiled wryly, "What did she tell you?"

"That you thought she killed me, so you took her back to the warehouse … and tried to kill her," Rachel replied.

Jack nodded, "Hmm … I wish I did kill her there and then."

Rachel smiled sadly, "When Charlie told me that you tried to kill her, I replied when she left the room that I wish you _did_ kill her."

Jack laughed softly.

"Do you know what she said to me before I was _about _to kill her?"

"No," Rachel shook her head.

"She said – Rachel wouldn't want you to do this …" Jack replied.

"She was wrong," Rachel laughed.

"Yeah!" Jack laughed and nodded. He looked over at Rachel, whose eyes were focused firmly on him.

The pair stared at each other for a few moments.

Rachel was the first to look away, when she looked down at her almost empty beer can.

"You know Rach …" Jack began, "I don't know whether _now _is the right time to say this … but I guess it's now or never."

Rachel looked at him with her head tilted to one side, wondering what he was about to tell her.

"I know I've told you this already," Jack said, "But … I love you," he had known _that_ since he first saw Rachel.

_I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life_

Rachel smiled, wondering why she didn't predict what he was going to say, "I love you too."

Jack nodded, his face expressing much happiness.

"Did my dad give you my diary?"

Jack nodded again.

"Yeah, I hoped someone would," Rachel said, "Charlie told me what I _had _to say to you as I was pretending to die … so I knew that I couldn't tell you how I felt …"

Jack looked surprised _and_ disgusted.

"So I decided to write it in my diary … hoping that you'd eventually read it."

"_Bloody_ Charlie," Jack said, slightly angered by what Rachel had told him.

Rachel chuckled, "So you read it?"

"Only the last entry that you wrote," Jack replied, "After I read that … I _couldn't _and _wouldn't _haveread anymore."

Rachel smiled at Jack's modesty, "You know … I still remember what I wrote."

Jack raised his eyebrows, "The _exact _words."

"The exact words," Rachel repeated.

"I've got your diary _somewhere_ …" Jack said, thinking about where he last saw it, "Oh I know where it is," he grabbed it from the bottom ledge of the coffee table, "Okay … tell me what you wrote."

"Okay …" Rachel replied, as Jack opened it to the last page she wrote on, "This is madness … If I love Jack, why do I treat him like this? What am I scared of, scared to commit? I don't know … Maybe everyone goes through this. Wondering how many people they'll love in a lifetime, wondering how many people they can meet that they can love. I think I've been lucky that I've met more than one. Stuffed those up though, I'm such a coward. Why is it so hard to say that I love him? Just say it. I love you Jack."

"Geez, you _do _remember it all!" Jack was surprised.

Rachel nodded.

"You _really _think that you're a coward?"

"Yeah," Rachel replied.

"You're not a coward Rach," Jack assured her.

"Yes I am."

Jack shook his head and placed one of his hands softly on top of hers, "No. You're not."

Rachel smiled at Jack. She decided that she didn't want to argue with him; even if it was only a _gentle _argument. Rachel took hold of Jack's hand and squeezed it ever so gently.

_It's a long road  
__When you face the world alone  
No one reaches out a hand for you to hold  
You can find love  
__If you search within yourself  
And the emptiness you felt will disappear_

They stared at each other; still holding hands.

Jack wanted to have Rachel in his arms so much, but he was scared that she would push him away like she once did. So instead, he asked her if she'd like another can of beer.

"Sure."

He let go of Rachel's hand and walked towards the kitchen.

Rachel placed her empty beer can on the coffee table and waited for Jack to return.

Jack returned, holding up the carton of beer in his hand, "I thought I'd bring this out here. Saves me from getting up each time."

Rachel nodded, "Good idea," she said as Jack handed her a can, "Thanks …"

Jack sat back down next to her; a little closer this time.

Rachel turned her body slightly, so that she was facing Jack. She looked down at the beer in her hand as she opened it, before looking back up at Jack.

He was looking at her intently.

Suddenly to Rachel, the idea of drinking the beer in her hand had completely vanished. The thought of spending the night at Jack's entered her mind and it seemed like a pretty good idea.

Jack ran a hand through Rachel's soft hair as he moved even closer to her.

Their faces were only centimetres apart; Rachel's eyes searching Jack's as they leaned in that last_ tiny_ centimetre and kissed softly, tentatively.

They pulled away at the same time as though they were teenagers again; both wondering if what they were doing was okay with each other.

Rachel smiled at Jack when he took her beer can from her hand and placed it on the coffee table in front of them.

She leaned into him and kissed his lips passionately; pushing him backwards on the couch.

Jack was in no way _less_ passionate as his hands ran up and down Rachel's back. It felt good to touch her again … not that he thought that he'd ever be able to, "I love you," he whispered in her ear as they stopped kissing for a second.

"I love you too …"

There were no more words spoken for the rest of the night.

_I love the way you look tonight  
With your hair hanging down on your shoulders  
I love the way you dance your slow sweet tango  
The way you wanna do everything but talk  
And how you stare at me with those undress me eyes  
Your breath on my body makes me warm inside _

Let's make out  
_Let's do something amazing  
__Let's do something that's all the way  
Coz I've never touched somebody  
__Like the way I touch your body  
Now I never want to let your body go … _

Let's make a night to remember  
From January to December  
_Let's make love to excite us  
__A memory to ignite us  
__Let's make honey baby  
__Soft and tender  
__Let's make sugar darling  
__Sweet surrender  
__Let's make a night to remember  
__All life long _

I love the way you move tonight  
Beads of sweat dripping down your skin  
_Me lying here  
__You lying there  
__Our shadows on the wall and our hands everywhere  
__Let's make out  
__Let's do something amazing  
__Let's do something that's all the way  
Coz I've never touched somebody  
__Like the way I touch your body  
Now I never want to let your body go … _

Let's make a night to remember  
From January to December  
_Let's make love to excite us  
__A memory to ignite us  
__Let's make honey baby  
__Soft and tender  
__Let's make sugar darling  
__Sweet surrender  
__Let's make a night to remember  
__All life long _

I think about you all the time  
Can't you see you drive me outta my mind  
Well I'm never holding back again  
Yeah I never want this night to end  
Coz I've never touched somebody  
_Like the way I touch your body  
__Now I never want to let your body go …_

**The End**


End file.
